| The campaign to pedestrianise Newbury’s Broadway gathered pace this week with the appointment of Andy Goodwin to the influential post of Chairman of Newbury Retail Association – newbury.net can reveal.
Mr Goodwin runs Debretts hairdressers at the north end of Northbrook Street, which was overlooked by West Berkshire Council while the rest of town gets a £200m facelift.
At a packed meeting on Tuesday, Mr Goodwin replaced John Ince of Artifax as chairman without opposition. The role means an automatic place on the influential town centre steering group, currently supervising the controversial Vision for Newbury 2025.
Already Mr Goodwin has been lobbying for a daytime car ban for the northern half of the high street to create a level playing field, and Tory-run West Berkshire Council said it will consider the idea.
Around 10 businesses have closed in the last 18 months including Khans Tandoori, Bar Cuba, MVC, Motorworld, J&S Scooters, Speenhamland Post Office, Berry’s News, plus the Sandwich shop in Saddler’s Court. Pottery shop Potamus is also planning to close, and traders have complained that the street looks tatty compared to the expensive pavements going in elsewhere.
Closing this part of town to cars would be quite easy, as Strawberry Hill and Park Way provide alternative routes to the rear of the shops. | 
